MISSING ROYALTY

Chapter 11 : Words of The Big Man

Napabalikwas ako ng bangon nang maramdaman ko ang parang pagbagsak ng basang tela sa mukha ko. Nakapikit kong kinuha ang tela. I felt a throbbing pain in my head sanhi ng hangover. I swear I will never ever drink that alcohol again. Ang lakas pala ng tama nun.

Nang idilat ko ang mga mata ko, I saw Cross with his arms crossed at nakatingin ng masama sa'kin.

"Uh. Anong ginawa ko--" 

Hindi ko na natuloy ang gusto kong sabihin when he darted a glare at me. What did I do for him to look at me like that?

"Eh sa hindi ko maalala. Ano bang ginawa ko at ganyan ka makatingin sa'kin? Parang ang laki ng kasalanan ko --" hindi ko na natuloy ang nais kong sabihin nang mapahiga ulit dahil bigla niya akong itinulak pahiga habang siya ang nasa ibabaw ko.

"Uh Cross? Are you going to flirt with me, now?" Nakita ko lang siyang ngumisi. At hindi ko alam kung bakit nagrambolan ang mga organ system ko dahil doon. Damn. The moment I realized last night what I felt for him, my reactions have worsened.

Inilapit niya ang kanyang mukha dahilan upang mas idiin ko ang ulo ko sa unan.

"Uh, Cross --"

"Tinatanong mo kung anong kasalanan mo?" Sa wakas ay nagsalita siya instead of just darting glares at me.

"'Wag mo na palang sagutin. Naaalala ko na." Nagpakawala ako ng pekeng tawa at sinabayan ko na rin ng dasal na sana paniwalaan niya ang sinabi kong naaalala ko ang ginawa ko kahit hindi naman.

"You do? Did you remember you were drinking so hard from 4 to 10 pm last night and that you danced with the crowd --"

"I DID THAT!?" napapikit si Cross nang mariin nang masigawan ko siya sa mukha. Sinamaan niya ako ng tingin.

"And you say you remembered everything." He said at umayos na ng tayo.

"Why were you drinking?" Napatingin ako sa kanya habang seryoso siyang nakatingin sa'kin. I remembered some fragments of what happened last night at hindi ko mapigilang murahin ang sarili ko. I admitted to myself about my feelings for him. And that should just remain to me right?

"The weather's getting colder. That's why." I answered at umalis na sa kama. I straightened my clothes at bahagyang sinuklay ang buhok ko.

I felt his stare drilling into me while I tried my best not to look at him. How I wish that I should have forgotten the memory of admitting to myself.

"You're getting comfortable here, aren't you?" I finally looked him in the eye.

"Well, there's nothing bad about it, right?"

"Trust me, there is. Don't go around trusting people easily." He eyed me from head to toe. "And especially drinking with just anybody." I eyed him too guessing that he was talking about Big Max.

"Actually no. Ako lang ang uminom."

"What!?"

"All he drank was milk kaya ako lang ang nalasing. Ang daya --"

"Ginagago mo ba ako?"

"Ay ewan ko sa'yo Cross. 'Wag ka nang dumagdag sa sakit ng ulo ko. Labas nga. I need to sleep and oh, bring me soup." He looked at me like I just said the most stupid thing in the world. I understand he can't bring me a soup kasi ako ang alipin sa'ming dalawa pero bakit hindi pa siya lumalabas ng kwarto ko?

"You're the one who needs to get out. This is my room." Agad akong nagpalinga linga sa loob and true, kwarto niya nga ito.

"Oh. At bakit dito mo ako dinala? You could've brought me to my room instead."

"You lost your key. How am I supposed to enter your room? Stupid."

"Stupid?" Nagtitimping napabuntong hininga ako. Keep calm, Muriel. Keep calm.

"Eh di'ba ikaw may ari nitong bahay? You should have a master key or something."

"I left it at the rooftop. Tinatamad akong kunin. You're the one who only uses keys here."

"Ano palang silbi ng mga susi mo, ser?" Pinaningkitan niya ako ng mata.

"Shut up and get those keys. Lumipat ka sa kwarto mo."

Padabog akong umalis sa kama niya. Kinuha ko naman ang susing naiwan niya sa rooftop at pumasok na sa kwarto ko. Pambihira. Agad naman akong naligo at nagbihis. The throbbing pain in my head gradually disappeared. Hinding hindi na ako iinom ng inumin nila dito. Hinding hindi.

Halos mapatalon ako sa gulat nang biglang bumukas ang pinto ng kwarto ko. Iniluwa doon si Cross. Nakabusangot ang mukha niya. Well, I don't expect him to be all smiley.

"Pwede ka namang kumatok. Paano 'pag nagbibihis ako?" Mahinahon kong sabi sa kanya. Wala ako sa mood makipagsagutan sa kanya ngayon.

"Wala namang makikita 'jan. Flat chested."

Oh god. Binabawi ko na ang sinabi ko. On second thought, nasa mood pala akong makipagsagutan sa kanya ngayon.

"Hoy Cross, in case you've forgotten, you almost flirted with me - or whatever you call that."

"You do recall that. And so what if I didt that?"

"Anong so what!? Kahit hindi ko first kiss 'yun at definitely not also my first time making out --"

"Not your first time?" Napataas ang kilay niya. At anong akala niya sa'kin? Hindi pa nakahalik?

"Yes. I've made out with the Prince of Sengovia once. The crown Prince of Mendelev, there was this son of a duke in Italia and the --"

"Stop. You sure are a princess who makes out a lot."

"Sure I am a princess but don't forget I grew up with some brothers and I had a fair share of adventures. I don't get stuck up in my chambers and learning stitching. I was exposed to the outside world so that should be no surprise that I am not innocent with those kind of things. And I'm not the one bringing random girls here and do whatever it is to be done." I crossed my arms to my chest and looked at him.

"Ah yes. Speaking of which. I thought I should let you know that someone will be coming over here." He said while still leaning on the door frame.

"Who?"

"You don't need to know."

Pagkasabi niya non ay agad na siyang umalis sa kwarto ko. Napairap nalang ako sa hangin. Agad na akong nagbihis but before that, I made sure na nakalock ang kwarto ko. Mahirap na.

Agad naman akong bumaba at halos malaglag na ako sa hagdan nang makita ang malaswang tanawin sa sala. Cross sitting comfortably on the sofa habang komportable namang nakaupo sa kandungan niya ang isang babaeng blonde ang buhok. Nakaharap ito kay Cross and from my angle, it looks like, they're kissing.

I heaved a deep sigh. So this was the visitor he was talking about? I walked quietly behind them barely managed to snap both their necks.

I can hear unpleasant giggles from the girl. Napairap nalang ako sa kawalan. I need to get out. Baka makapatay ako.

Sa paglalakad ko, hindi ko namalayang napunta ako sa restaurant ni Maurice. And since ito lang ang nag iisang kainan s***h bar kuno dito, marami pa ring tao. And oh, there are still naked bodies everywhere but hindi na nila ako binibigyan ng nakamamatay na tingin.

Naabutan ko si Maurice na nasa bar counter. Agad naman akong umupo doon katabi ni Big Max and ordered food from Manta, Maurice's assistant. Naramdaman ko ang matamang pagtitig ni Big Max sa'kin bago ako nakaupo. Turns out, he was observing me.

"Something made you mad." Panimula niya sabay tungga sa isang baso niyang gatas.

"You bet." Walang gana kong sagot.

"Was it the Cross guy?" I looked at him abruptly dahilan para muntikan na akong malaglag sa inuupuan ko. I darted him a curious look.

"It shows on your face. So, am I right?" Saad niya nang makita ang naguguluhan kong mukha. He wiped his mouth with his forearm.

"Well not really. Have you ever felt annoyed to yourself because you kept feeling that unwanted feeling dahil wala ka namang karapatan to feel that feeling in the first place? That's what made me mad today."

At first, I thought he was confused with my sentence construction ngunit maya maya ay nagsalita siya.

"Why is it unwanted?" He said without looking at me. Nakatingin lang siya sa mga inumin sa counter while playing his mug on his big hands.

"Because I don't like it!"

"Why?" I looked at him frustratedly.

"I..I don't know!"

Narinig ko ang mahina niyang tawa followed by large gulps on his milk.

"It's not like you don't like it. It's because you can't accept it. There's a thin line, see. These what you call unwanted feelings - you don't mean you don't like them. You mean you can't accept them. That's why I'm asking you why? Why can't you accept it?"

I diverted my gaze to vandals on the table. I hate how observant and wise this man is.

"I don't know." I muttered.

"I'll change the question. Why can't you love him?"

Napatingin ako sa kanya ang he too is looking at me. Milk is painted on some parts of his bushy beard.

"Love him?"

I saw him sighed impatiently.

"It's obvious. You love him. So why can't you accept that?"

"I don't know. I.. well --"

"You can't accept it because you ain't ready. You ain't sure. It's like jumping on a cliff blindfolded. You don't know what awaits you below. It's just like that. You have to have courage. Lots of 'em." I felt his hand na kasing laki na ng ulo ko-- patted my back and I swear halos masubsob na ako sa mesa.

I watched him stood up at halos umabot na ang ulo niya sa kisame.

"And Vanesa is just buried near Manivian falls. You can notice it immediately. I placed a big stone carved with her name. Madali mo lang makita." He said bago lumabas ng restaurant ni Maurice.

Sakto namang dumating na ang inorder ko kay Manta. Akmang kakain na ako nang maramdaman kong may tumabi sa'kin. In my periphery, kilala ko na kung sino iyon. But I chose to ignore him and eat my food instead.

"Look what we have here." Napatingin ako sa aking katabi and he was wearing a smirk, dangerous one, habang nakatukod ang isang braso sa counter and his head resting on the back of his palm.

"Pwede sa susunod na araw mo nalang akong bwesitin? Wala ako sa mood ngayon eh."

"Oh that's no problem, baby. I am an expert at mood making." Bago pa ako makapagsalita nakatayo na siya sa harapan ko. He opened my legs and stood between them and snaked his arms around my waist.

"Do you want to get in the mood, now?" He said sabay kindat. Agad kong napulot ang kutsilyong naroon at tinutok iyon sa ilalim ng baba niya.

"Let go, Flux." Pagbabanta ko. I saw him smirked. The smirk I always hated. Hindi pa rin niya ako binibitawan kaya mas diniinan ko pa ang kutsilyo sa kanya. Nakita kong bumaon nga ito and blood slowly came out running down the blade of the knife. Nanginig ang kamay kong nakatingin sa dugo. I looked at him and he just smirked. Oh God. Bakit nakangisi lang siya? Nasugatan ko siya!

But instead of looking frightened, I maintained my cool and looked at him seriously. Bakit hindi pa siya umaalis. Naramdaman ko ang paghawak niya sa kamay kong may hawak na kutsilyo.

"If you happen to have had enough of Strauss, I am always available for you, Miss Muriel. Just call me. Deal?" He said. Nakahawak pa rin siya sa aking kamay na hawak ang kutsilyong nakatutok sa ilalim ng baba niya. He was smirking at me ngunit nagulat nalang ako nang may marinig na kasa ng baril. The next thing I know, nawala na sa kamay ko ang kutsilyo at nakatutok na ito sa akin ngayon. While a gun was pointed at Flux's temple and it was Cross.

Seryoso siyang nakatingin kay Flux habang nakatutok dito ang dalang baril. Ang hawak namang kutsilyo ni Flux ay nakatutok na sa leeg ko.

"Oh hi there, Cross." Nakangiting bati ni Flux sa lalake. The latter just looked at him seriously.

"I was just talking to the beautiful lady here. In fact, we made a deal." Flux looked at me. Nakangisi siya na ang dating sa akin ay parang may binabalak siyang masama.

"I don't care about that deal, whatever that is but that deal is not valid. You see a deal is a deal when the other party agrees to it."

"Oh but she was about to give her answer nang dumating ka. Isn't that right, Miss Muriel? So, what was your answer?" Napatingin ako kay Flux and he winked at me. I saw him mouth the word 'trust me' and strange enough, naniwala ako sa kanya.

"Get lost, the two of you." I muttered and made my way out of the restaurant.

Damn frustrating.